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Loss of control in the advertisement field

by arimonkey on February 27, 2017 - 4:48pm

In this advertisement, the first thing that catches our eyes is the sexy girl in lingerie. She is standing in a sexy pose in a kitchen with oven mitts while taking the turkey out of the oven. Then after a while our eyes turn to the caption on the right “Can she make you lose control?” and then finally, the actual product of the advertisement, an antiperspirant. As the caption points out, the girl seems to want to provoke the buyers. It is almost as if she exists for that purpose; to make the men “lose control.” All of these factors combined conveys a message that the girl intends to make you lose control and that it is acceptable to do so because it is her intention. The company Unilever highlights situations like this and unifies girls as a factor of provocation and that their product will prepare them for such situations.

The role of the female gender is strongly emphasized in this advertisement. To be sexy, to make you lose control, to be in a kitchen, to cook and provide a meal, and to be always attractive while doing so. It does not care for any part the comfort of the girl. The girl is standing in a kitchen, almost naked, next to a hot oven with just a pair of oven mitts and lingerie. The portrayal of women made by this advertisement is clearly very offending and degrading of women. Enough that this advertisement was banned.

Advertisements such as this can be very misleading. It sends a message to women that they should look as sexy as this girl, be submissive to the men and that they should be sexually desired by men by provoking them. It also promotes the ideal beauty standard such as a skinny legs, tiny waist, big breasts and hips. It isn’t just the women that are influenced, men also receive a message. It is conveyed that they should lose control and that it is natural to do so when they see a sexy woman. When these kinds of messages get accumulated in one’s mind, it can even lead to sexual assault in extreme cases because they justify losing control as something a woman wants. It gives the men an impression that women always want to provoke them and that they want to be sexual to them always, which is definitely not true. It also gives the men a false fantasy of a beautiful girl who is waiting for them in the kitchen with a nice meal in her underwear, when in reality, this couldn’t be any more wrong.

With advertisements like this constantly circling the internet and the media, children learn subconsciously the wrong gendered roles, and many consumers are lured in by the false advertisement. The quality of the product is not emphasized at all. In my opinion, it is important for the companies and the media on how they advertise and portray gender roles because “advertisements sell more than just products; they also sell us ideas about sex.”(Cortese 77) I would change the advertisement by placing it on a different situation that causes sweat such as a presentation in front of a large group, or physical education classes. I would also emphasize the quality of the product and the effect it will have.